Whether Haas can stay there is the real question, especially with former winners in Watson and Scott just a stroke behind him. Watson's performance in particular was especially impressive, as Jason Sobel of GolfChannel.com humorously noted:

Bubba Watson didn't make a bogey today. That's ridiculous. I didn't even play and I made four.

Watson and Scott aren't the only big-name players chasing Haas, however. Brandt Snedeker is just two strokes behind, while Rory McIlroy, Fred Couples, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Miguel Angel Jimenez are all three strokes back.

Other contenders will have more work to do, however. CharlSchwartzel, Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood are all one-over, while Hunter Mahan and Sergio Garcia are two over par and Jason Day shot a 75.

The big disappointments were Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Mickelson shot a shocking 76, while Johnson—a trendy pick to win this year's tournament—was even worse at 77. Mickelson, to his credit, had no misconceptions about his quality of play on Thursday, as he told Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel:

"I've got a lot of work to do just to make the cut tomorrow. I've got a lot of issues."-Phil Mickelson on tying Masters career high 76

After the first day of action, it appears the theme could easily be "No Tiger, no problem." While Tiger Woods always adds an air of intrigue to any event, there are plenty of intriguing storylines to follow this year. Haas, surprisingly atop the leaderboard. Former winners like Scott and Watson starting strong. Mickelson fighting for his life.

And a slew of players hoping to earn their first green jacket.

Harry How/Getty Images

Friday will be a huge day, and not just for those looking to survive the cut. Haas has to prove he has the fight to stay atop the pack, as a tough course ensured nobody raced away from the field on Thursday. Can McIlroy and company make things interesting heading into the weekend?

We'll have to wait and see. With the weather likely to be beautiful again and plenty of contenders in the running, this year's Masters looks like another classic.